This invention relates to a modular cover inserter unit that can be positioned between a copier/duplicator and a booklet finisher for providing booklet covers to the finisher.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,425, issued Sept. 25, 1984, in the names of R. C. Baughman et al and entitled "Binding Apparatus and Method" discloses finishing apparatus in combination with a copier/duplicator. The finishing apparatus receives sets of copy sheets produced on the copier/duplicator. The sheets are received seriatim in a particular page sequence, one set of sheets after another. The finisher can produce a booklet from each set of copy sheets by delivering the copy sheets to assembly trays in a particular page sequence. While the booklets can be delivered to a tote tray without securing the sheets together, the patent also discloses finishing the booklets either by a stitching operation that staples the sheets of the booklet together or by an adhesive binding operation wherein a liquid adhesive is applied to the sheets and the sheets are then stacked and pressed together to form booklets. Cover sheets for the front and/or back of the booklet can be provided from one of the copy sheet supplies of the copier/duplicator as suggested in Column 20, lines 45-50 of the patent.
While apparatus of the type disclosed in that patent has worked well for its intended purposes, the use of one of the copy sheet supplies for cover sheets has certain disadvantages. First of all, it reduces the number of copy sheet supplies that are available for their normal use, i.e., providing copy sheets on which images are formed. In addition, the booklet covers must be transported along the entire conventional copy sheet path through the copier/duplicator. This path normally includes a number of curves which may limit the size, shape, or thickness of cover stock that can be used for formation of booklets. Clearly it would be advantageous to free the copy sheet supplies for their intended use and minimize the length and complexity of the path for booklet covers.
At times it is desirable to produce booklets with front and back covers that are different in one or more characteristic and thus not interchangeable. For example, the front and back covers can have different pre-printed information thereon, or they can be different colors, or they can be made from different weight cover stock. Booklets can be produced by interleaving front and back covers and placing them in a single supply tray. However, such requires excessive time and effort by an operator and reduces overall productivity of the operator. Also, the operator must be careful that the front and back covers are properly oriented in the supply tray when the covers are printed before loading them into the tray. If the front and back covers are not properly oriented, they may be inverted (front-to-back or top-to-bottom) relative to their desired position in the booklet. This orientation requirement complicates the task of interleaving front and back covers when they are to be fed from a single supply tray.